Helping Hands
by TT-5
Summary: 1938 - Christopher Folye reluctantly finds himself in need of some help and there are several people more than willing to give it. A per-series story featuring Foyle and the Reid family
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This was written for OxfordKivrin and is shared here with her permission. I hope you enjoy :)

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1938

The sound of harsh coughing caused Hugh Reid to stop on the way to his office and retrace his steps. He frowned deeply as the coughing continued until he reached the correct door and knocked sharply.

"Come" Was the raspy reply and he pushed the door open and strode into the office. DCS Christopher Foyle looked up him, frowning slightly at the disapproving look on his friend's face. "Something wrong Hugh?"

He dissolved into another coughing fit as he finished and Reid crossed his arms waiting until Foyle had managed to catch his breath before replying. "I wouldn't think you'd need me to work that out for you _Detective Chief Superintendent_ Foyle"

Foyle frowned at the use of his full title outside of an introduction and Reid threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "Oh for Pete sake Christopher! Why the devil aren't you home in bed? I told you yesterday that you weren't to come in today!"

Foyle set his jaw, "I don't recall being obligated to take orders from you _Superintendent _Reid. Besides it's a cold and I've got work to do."

_'God he can be exasperating when he's like this!_' Many men had been cowed by Foyle's patented stare but Reid simply stared straight back, "You said it was a cold _last_ week, if a weekend of taking it easy didn't help it's clearly something more and you don't even have a case at the moment."

"Doesn't mean I don't have work." Foyle insisted stubbornly as he gestured to the stacks of paper on his desk.

Reid crossed to the desk and peered over his shoulder, "Preliminary Report on Constable Training' well that certainly sounds like something worth giving yourself pneumonia over…"

"I haven't got pneumonia." Foyle snapped although the affect was largely lost as he began to cough again.

Reid frowned deeply and rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, "No you don't and I'd like to keep it that way. Have you even seen a doctor?"

Foyle shook his head, "Just a cold."

Reid sighed, "Well I think Dr. White will disagree, and I know Andrew would."

Foyle looked at him sharply, "You haven't told him have you?"

"That you're ill? No of course not, but if you don't take care of yourself then you are going to be seriously ill and I'll have to."

Foyle sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead, "Headache?" Hugh asked quietly. He nodded mutely and felt Hugh's hand tighten on his shoulder, "Taken anything?"

"Yes, before I left the house." The problem was that the aspirin had barely done anything to ease the pounding in his temples or the ache in his chest, brought on by the incessant coughing. He had been stubbornly denying his symptoms for days but the more he thought about the more he had to admit he truly felt dreadful.

"Look Christopher I'm going to call Dr. White, then you're going home all right?"

"There's really no need…" he began but Hugh gave him a hard stare and he huffed a sigh and nodded, "Worrygut…" he murmured before coughing harshly again.

"Easy Christopher, I'll just speak to White and then fetch you some tea." At Foyle's answering nod, Reid squeezed his shoulder and flipped off the desk lamp, "Reading will only make your headache worse" he insisted as Foyle tried to protest, "Rest Christopher I'll be right back."

When he reached his office Reid quickly shrugged off his coat and then placed a call to Dr. White's surgery. Next he called Elaine who immediately agreed that Christopher would be much better off in their spare room and promised to have everything ready by the time they got there. This done he headed to the kitchen to make them both some tea, adding a bit of sugar to Christopher's because he looked like he could do with it.

Hugh wasn't sure if he should be relieved or even more concerned when he found Christopher exactly as he had left him. On one hand it meant that he didn't have to get cross with him for _not_ doing as he was told, but on the other it was a testament to how dreadful Christopher really was feeling.

"Brought you some tea old man," he said quietly as he placed the cup on the desk in front of Foyle, "And White should be here soon."

Foyle nodded and took a sip of tea, "Thank you Hugh."

"Not at all," they lapsed into silence which was broken far too regularly by Christopher's coughing fits and Hugh couldn't help frowning at how much worse he seemed to be today as compared to yesterday.

Finally there was knock on the door, Reid rose to answer it and found Dr. White standing beside Sgt. Rivers. "Dr. White thank you for coming. Sgt. Rivers that will be all thank you." Rivers nodded and immediately headed back down the hall while Dr. White stepped into the office allowing Reid to close the door behind him.

White immediately crossed to the desk and started digging through his bag for his stethoscope. He looked up as Reid came to stand beside him and said briskly, "Right jacket, waistcoat, and shirt off Christopher I need to have a listen to your chest."

Foyle's attempt to protest was instantly quelled by the stern looks that Reid and White gave him and he scowled but did as he was told, although his actions were interrupted by a harsh coughing fit that made White frown deeply.

The examination itself didn't take too long and Foyle was soon re-buttoning his waistcoat. "Doctor?" Reid prompted when White didn't say anything after several long minutes.

The doctor smiled reassuringly and then looked sternly at Foyle, "Although I suspect this started as nothing more than a cold the way your lungs sound now you are well way to bronchitis Christopher, I want you at home in bed for at least a week. And I do mean _in bed_ resting."

"He's not contagious is he doctor?" Reid asked before Foyle could state his objections to White's pronouncement.

Dr. White rubbed his jaw thoughtfully for a moment and then shook his head, "No I don't think so. I suspect half the station would be down with it by now if he were."

"Good. In that case he'll be in my spare room until you say otherwise."

"Hugh there's really no…" the cough that he could not bite back put an end to Foyle's objection and by the time he managed to catch his breath he just nodded tiredly, "If you're sure…"

"I am" Reid said quickly, "Elaine will already have the spare made up. Is there anything in particular we should watch for doctor?"

White nodded, "Yes keep an eye on his temperature. He's only running a very low fever now but if that goes up so does the risk of pneumonia."

Reid nodded gravely and White gave him a reassuringly smile, "Other then that just lots of rest, tea, broth and steam inhalations will help with the cough, as will this." He handed a small bottle to Reid, "Cough syrup, a few spoonfuls every 4 hours as needed, instructions are on the bottle. Call if you are concerned and I'll stop by tomorrow to see how he's getting on."

Reid nodded again as he tucked the bottle into his pocket, "Thank you doctor."

"Not at all." White said before turning back to Foyle, "Christopher, I don't want to have to calm Andrew down if you end up with pneumonia so for once would you do as you are told and rest?"

Foyle frowned at the mention of Andrew but nodded obediently, "Of course doctor."

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow then." And picking up his bag Dr. White left the room closing the door behind him.

There was a minute of heavy silence and then Foyle began, "Hugh this really isn't necessary, I'll be…"

"Very comfortable in my spare room." Reid said firmly, "You heard what White said Christopher, it's either allowing Elaine and I to help now or ending up in hospital with pneumonia and Andrew too worried to go back to Oxford."

It was perhaps an overstatement but it had the desired effect as Foyle ran a hand over his face and then nodded wearily, "All right, I just hate to make more work for Elaine."

"It's fine Christopher, no different then when you brought me home with the 'flu before I was married."

"But the girls…"

"Will be delighted to see you and you heard Dr. White, you aren't contagious. Now just let me grab my coat and we'll go."


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing they heard as they stepped through the door was, "Daddy!" as Maggie and Grace threw themselves on Hugh with an exuberance that would suggest he had been away for several days as opposed to several hours. Andrew had always greeted him with the same enthusiasm as a little boy so the sight made Foyle smile in spite of how wretched he felt.

The cough that he had been trying to fight down since they left the car finally broke free instantly quieting the little girls' chatter and drawing concerned looks from Hugh and Elaine. "Sorry" he murmured once he had caught his breath.

"Nonsense Christopher," Elaine said briskly as she helped him out of his coat and held out a hand for his hat. "Girls remember what we talked about? I want you to go into the lounge and play while Daddy and I help Mr. Foyle get settled."

"Yes Mummy" Maggie said nodding seriously and holding out a hand to little Grace who completely ignored her and instead wrapped her small arms around one of Foyle's legs.

"Sowwy you feel bad Mw. Foyle."

Foyle smiled fondly at the little girl, "Thank you Grace."

Hugh smiled as he gently detached his youngest daughter from Foyle's leg, "That was very nice Gracie now be a good girl and go and play with your dollies with Maggie." Grace nodded obediently and the two little girls made their way into the lounge.

Hugh watched them go and then turned to Foyle, "Right, lets get you settled, then I'll nip over to your house and pack you a bag for a few days." Foyle nodded and allowed Hugh to follow him up the stairs without complaint.

Elaine had already turned down the bed and left a pair of pajamas out for him to change into and on the nightstand there was a stack of fresh handkerchiefs, a pitcher of water and a glass, as well as a basin and several flannels.

Foyle was touched by the care that had clearly gone into these preparations but not trusting himself to speak without coughing he tried to communicate this through the grateful smile he gave Elaine.

She smiled back then exchanged a quick glance with Hugh before saying, "I put a brick in to warm the bed when I heard you were coming but it will have cooled by now, I'll just check on the girls and fetch a fresh one while you get changed."

Foyle nodded and he and Hugh were soon alone in the room. They stood in silence for a few moments before Hugh cleared his throat, "Right I know the pajamas won't fit properly but they'll still be better than your suit and will certainly do until I come back with yours."

Foyle nodded, "They'll be fine, thank you Hugh."

"Not at all, now lets get you settled before Elaine comes back." Foyle had every intention of getting changed without assistance but as soon as he sat down on the edge of the bed he was assailed by a wave of exhaustion that forced him to accept Hugh's help. _'He's better at this then he was back when he helped me with Andrew all those years ago, suppose he's got more practice now.'_

It was true, where he had once been an awkward young man quite unsure of how best to change an ill little boy into a fresh pair of pajamas, Hugh Reid was now a father of two and as such had Foyle changed and tucked into bed well before Elaine knocked on the door.

The hot bricks had just been exchanged when there was a cry from the girls that sent Elaine hurrying back downstairs. Hugh looked up from hanging Foyle's suit and gave his friend an assessing glance pleased to see that he looked slightly better now that he was in bed where he belonged. Remembering what Dr. White had said he fetched a thermometer, shaking it down and slipping it under Foyle's tongue before he could protest.

Foyle's temperature was the same as it had been at the office and Hugh quickly recorded it and then turned back to his friend. "Is there anything you would like besides some pajamas and your shaving kit?"

Foyle thought for a moment, "Book on my night table, and the post if you don't mind, expecting to hear from Andrew."

Reid smiled, "Of course." He pulled the bottle of cough syrup out of his pocket and quickly read the instructions before glancing at the clock "Why not take some of this and see if you can get a few hours kip before lunch?"

Foyle nodded his agreement so Reid quickly measured it out, pouring him a glass of water to wash away the taste when he was finished. While Foyle shifted to find a comfortable position Reid drew the curtains, leaving the room pleasantly dim. "All right?" He asked quietly once Foyle seemed to have settled.

"Perfectly."

"Good, just try and sleep, I won't be long and Elaine will be downstairs if you need anything."

"Thank you Hugh, very kind of you both." Foyle began to cough again as he finished and Reid frowned.

"Our pleasure Christopher, rest now. I'll make sure the girls don't disturb you." Foyle nodded and Reid quietly left the room, careful to shut the door behind him.

Although he hadn't expected to Foyle fell asleep and slept soundly for several hours, when he awoke the light had changed and he could see a neat stack of letters and his book sitting on the bedside table. He sat up with some difficulty and soon reached the conclusion that he needed to get up and use the lavatory.

Throwing back the covers he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hugh had left his dressing gown and a pair of his pajamas on the chair by the bed, his slippers placed neatly underneath it. About ten minutes later he ventured out onto the landing clad in his own pajamas and dressing gown and feeling decidedly more exhausted than the simple act of changing his clothes should have left him.

Hugh was waiting on the landing when he emerged and gave him an assessing look, brow furrowing at Foyle's ashen complexion. "I brought you some tea but we need to take your temperature again first." Foyle nodded silently and allowed Hugh to herd him into bed without complaint, something that worried Reid much more than he would admit.

His fever was up but not so high as to be expressly worrying in it's own right so Reid handed him his tea and, after Foyle admit that he was rather hungry, went to fetch him some beef tea.

Foyle was nearly asleep again by the time he had finished eating, his meal having been interrupted by several coughing fits that had left him worn out. He mumbled a sleepy 'thank you' as Hugh changed the brick at the foot of the bed again and Hugh just smiled and told him to get some rest before picking up the tray of dishes and quietly leaving the room.

The next time Foyle woke it was because there was a small child determinedly climbing into bed beside him. His sleepy mind immediately assumed it was Andrew before he remembered that Andrew was now more than a head taller than him and currently away at Oxford.

He lay very still as the little body settled against him before opening his eyes carefully to see who his companion was. The golden curls told him that it was Grace and his lips curved into a very soft smile as he watched her slip her thumb into her mouth, hug her dolly closer and fall back to sleep, back resting against his chest. '_Elaine must have put her down for a nap'_ he mused, '_Hugh was saying just the other day that she's taken to wondering a bit in her sleep since they'd switched her from her cot to a bed.'_

Foyle knew that Elaine and Hugh would fuss about Grace disturbing him but the truth was that there was something wonderfully soothing about having a small child cuddled into bed beside him again and before he knew it he had drifted back to sleep as well, one arm curled protectively around Grace and her dolly.


	3. Chapter 3

Because there was nothing too pressing on at work Hugh had been able to take the rest of the day off to help with Christopher. At the moment though Christopher was asleep and Hugh was otherwise engaged; Elaine peeked into the lounge smiling as she watched him reading Cinderella to Maggie for what might be the thousandth time.

Grace would be up soon and Elaine didn't want her to disturb Christopher so she reluctantly left Hugh and Maggie to their book and went upstairs. Deciding to check on Christopher first she quietly opened the door then froze on the threshold at the sight of her youngest daughter fast asleep on the bed beside Christopher who was snoring quietly, one arm wrapped around Grace to keep her from falling off the bed.

_'Grace must have wandered in here during her nap,_ _Maggie never did that but it is very Gracie_' Elaine mused as she crossed to the bed and studied the sleeping pair, noticing as she did so that Grace was starting to wake up. Not wanting her to wake Christopher she knelt by the bed, gently brushing the hair back from Grace's forehead murmuring soothingly.

The little girl's eyes opened and she blinked once before smiling up at her mother, "Mummy!"

"Shh, shhh darling we don't want to wake Mr. Foyle."

Grace nodded seriously, "He's having a nap too."

Elaine smiled, "Yes he is, now let's go downstairs and see Daddy and Maggie."

Grace nodded again and Elaine eased her carefully out of Christopher's protective hold. Ever the policeman though Foyle woke with a jerk and blinked up at them, "Elaine?"

"That's right Christopher, you're staying in our spare room for now. I just came into get Grace, I'm sorry we woke you."

Foyle shook his head, "No trouble…" anything else he might have said was swallowed by a harsh cough and Elaine quickly set Grace down so she could help him sit up.

When the fit had finally ended Elaine was standing by the bed with the thermometer and a glass of water. She offered the water to Foyle who took a few sips before allowing her to slip the thermometer under his tongue.

While they waited for it to register Grace, who had been rubbing sleepily at her eyes, climbed back onto the bed and settled herself in Foyle's lap resting her head on his chest and slipping her thumb back into her mouth.

Grace still liked to cuddle when she first woke up and the momentary envy Elaine felt at losing one of these quiet moments with her youngest daughter vanished as she watched Christopher's face soften as he laid his hand on Grace's small back, rubbing soft circles with an ease that only a parent can possess.

As soon as Elaine took the thermometer Christopher brought an arm up to cover his mouth and turning his upper body as best he could without disturbing Grace began to cough harshly. Elaine winced in sympathy as she looked up from recording his temperature, which was thankfully no higher than it had been earlier.

Grace had been startled out of her sleepy state by Foyle's coughing fit and was now frowning worriedly at him. "I'm sorry" Foyle rasped once he had managed to catch his breath again.

Elaine shook her head, "You have nothing to apologize for Christopher, you can't help being ill. Your temperature is still fairly close to normal and I think a steam inhalation would help with your cough." Foyle nodded in silent agreement so Elaine held out her hands to Grace, "Come along Gracie time to leave Mr. Foyle to rest."

Grace nodded but instead of moving to get off the bed looked up at Foyle and handed him her dolly saying very seriously, "You can have my dolly till I have to go to bed Mw. Foyle."

Foyle blinked in surprise at the offer before smiling gently at the little girl, "Thank you Grace but that won't be necessary."

Grace frowned and firmly placed the dolly in his hand, "She make you feel bettew, you has to hold hew tight though."

Elaine had to stifle a giggle at the look on Christopher's face, having only one son he was not as familiar as Hugh had become with the importance of dollies. For a moment she thought she would have to intervene but then Christopher nodded very seriously and said, "Thank you Grace, I'll be sure to keep a close eye on her for you."

Grace smiled and gave him a slightly clumsy hug before scrabbled off the bed and going over to her mother. Elaine smiled down at her, "That was very nice Gracie, it's kind of you to share your dolly with Mr. Foyle."

The little girl smiled happily at the praise, "She make him bettew. Is tea now? I hungwy!"

"Yes it's almost time for tea. I'll send Hugh up with the steam inhalation Christopher, is there anything else you need?"

Foyle shook his head wordlessly, not daring to answer incase it brought on another coughing fit. Elaine seemed to understand because she just smiled back and herded her now chattering daughter out of the room.

Elaine had no time to warn Hugh so he was rather surprised when he came through the bedroom door with the bowl of hot water, a towel over his arm, and found Christopher leaning against the headboard Grace's dolly lying on the bed beside him. "Hello Christopher, I gather Gracie was in here?"

Foyle nodded, "Yes, kindly left me her doll to 'make me feel better.'"

Hugh chuckled as he set the tray down on the bedside table, "Well known cure that, Maggie gave me her favorite dolly the last time I was ill. Now we should probably get on with this while the water is still good and hot. You ready?"

Foyle nodded and was soon leaning over the bowl of hot water, a towel over his head to help capture the steam. It had been several years since he had last needed a steam inhalation so he had forgotten how relatively unpleasant they were, and he surfaced ten minutes later red faced and coughing.

Reid quickly removed the bowl so he couldn't spill the still hot water on himself and then offered him a glass of water once the coughing fit had passed. "Want to change? I did grab a few pairs of your pajamas."

Foyle nodded and with Hugh's help was very soon settled back in bed, feeling rather better for the steam and actually a little hungry. Hugh smiled when he admitted as much and disappeared downstairs only to return ten minutes later with a well-laden tray.

Foyle frowned slightly as he took in how much food was on the tray, "Hugh, I may be hungry but I haven't suddenly developed Andrew's appetite."

Reid chuckled, "Didn't think you had, half of this is for me. You didn't think I'd leave you eat alone did you?"

"You should eat with Elaine and the girls." Foyle protested before turning his head away to cough.

Hugh had poured the tea by the time the fit had passed and handed him a cup before he could say anything else, "And what would that teach the girls about how to treat guests? Stop fussing Christopher thanks to you I've spent more time with them today than I ever get to on a normal Tuesday. Now have your beef tea before it gets cold and Elaine gets cross at the both of us."

Seeing that it would be pointless, and even a little ungrateful, to argue Foyle did as Hugh suggested. By the time they were finished he was feeling tired again and only made a token protest about wanting to read when Hugh suggested he rest.

He clearly wasn't too convincing because Hugh just smiled and handed him his book, saying he'd be up shortly with a fresh brick for his bed. He must have fallen asleep again because the next time he awoke his book was back on the nightstand and the water pitcher had been refilled. He rolled over and saw that Grace's doll was still sitting by his pillow, '_must not be too late then'_ and with this thought he fell back to sleep.

By the next day he was already starting to feel better and Dr. White looked decidedly more pleased when he examined him. "Your lungs sound better already Christopher, continue to do as you're told and Andrew will be none the wiser."

So the next few days passed in much the same fashion as the first had. Hugh and Elaine seemed to be forever bringing him tea, hot bricks and steam inhalations, shushing him if he tried to protest they were doing too much.

"We _want _to help Christopher," Hugh said on the third evening when Foyle had tried to insist that he would be fine back at home. "This isn't pity or anything else and it's certainly no less than you and Rosalind did for me when I was a young hungry constable."

That made Foyle smile, despite the ever-present sting of pain that accompanied any mention of Rosalind. It was true that they had taken Hugh in the few times he was ill before he married, _'fair is fair I suppose, still I'll have to do something, maybe Andrew and I could take the girls for an afternoon once he's back…'_

The girls continued to help too, Grace finishing more than a few naps in Foyle's bed while Maggie came in every morning to read to him. "Daddy and Mummy always read to me when I'm ill," she had explained very earnestly the first morning as she stood by his bed, storybook in hand. "Do you think it might make you feel better too Mr. Foyle?"

He assured her that it would and was rewarded with a beautiful smile and a lap full of little girl, 'so he could see the pictures.' Maggie could read well for being only five and if she came to a page she couldn't read she simply made up a story from the pictures with a gift of imagination that only small children seem to possess.

By the time he was deemed well enough to return home, he was once again acutely aware of how quiet the house had become in Andrew's absence and he kept checking before he sat down to ensure he didn't sit on a dolly. That was a mistake he had made only once but had been soundly told-off for by an angry three-year-old. Thankful Grace had been quick to forgive him once he had apologized appropriately to her dolly.

Before the week was out however Andrew had written to say he would be home on the weekend and Hugh had invited him over for dinner, saying that the girls were asking for him. There was no question that his life was vastly different from what it might have been had Rosalind lived, and nothing would make him stop missing her, but he was much happier than he would have thought possible a few years earlier.

The End


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